


But, the Bogeyman, Mommy

by awanderingmuse



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-28
Updated: 2012-12-07
Packaged: 2017-11-13 02:05:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/498250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awanderingmuse/pseuds/awanderingmuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Monsters are always terrifying, but they’re the worst when created by young imaginations. See how our young heroes conquer their first monsters, the monster under the bed (and other night terrors).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Percy Jackson

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. All familiar characters, world features, and plot devices belong to Rick Riordan. This story is not for profit, it is for fun.
> 
> Beta read by a wonderful friend without an account on any of the usual sites. Thanks to them!
> 
> Also posted on FF.net and LiveJournal [here](http://awanderingmuse.livejournal.com/9733.html)

“Good night, Percy.”

  
He pulls Mr. Starfish closer to him as his mother shuts the door and the shadows close in. Light from the city filters in through his blinds to reveal how the shadows in his room move. The monsters are coming out. He whimpers and burrows further into his bed as some arm or tentacle reaches across the vast black sea for his bed.

  
“I-It’s going to be okay, Mr. Starfish.” Percy whispers to his longtime friend, a yellow smiling starfish. “I won’t let them g-get you.”

  
The shadows edge closer making the four year old jump, “I won’t!” he bursts with reproach, clinging to his stuffed animal.

  
“Percy?” his mommy is suddenly back, she flips on the light and the monsters flee. “Are you okay, Sweetie?”

  
Percy feels his brow crease and his lower lip quiver as his head shakes no and he bursts into tears.

  
“Oh, Sweetheart!” His mommy exclaims sitting on his bed and holding him, running her hands through his hair. “What’s wrong?”

  
He is silent, afraid to look silly. Finally, with some encouragement, he tells her. “Monsters, Mommy. Monsters.”

  
Sally’s back stiffens and she holds him almost too tightly. “Where?” she gasps.

  
“In my room.” He whimpers quietly, “When the lights go off.”

  
She relaxes, rubbing his back soothingly and he forgets that she was afraid. “It’s okay.” She coos at him, “They can’t get you. You’re safe Percy. I promise.”

  
Percy nods. “I know, Mommy.” He says sounding a lot braver than he feels. It shows on his face. “But Mr. Starfish thinks they’ll get him and he’s really scared.” His face brightens with a brilliant plan as he says, “Maybe, if we sleep with you he’ll feel better.”

  
She smiles at him softly, “Okay, you and Mr. Starfish can sleep with me. But, you know, the monsters won’t get Mr. Starfish. He has a big, strong, caring boy to protect him.”

  
Percy gasps with surprise that his mommy would suggest such a fearful thing. “But what if they get me?”

  
She chuckles ruffling his hair. “They can’t get you either, not if you tell them you’re not scared.”

  
He nods deep in thought about what she’s said. Sally lets him think a little bit before picking him up to go to her bed.

  
“Mommy!” He squeals forgetting he was going to sleep in her bed, “What are you doing?”

  
“Taking you to my bed, because Mr. Starfish is afraid.” She reminds him holding her baby boy close to her.

  
He shakes his head, “No mommy, I want to tell the monsters I’m not scared.”

  
She smiles sadly and somehow proudly at him and sets him back in his bed. “Okay, Sweetie.” She says tucking him in with Mr. Starfish. “You can do that.” She runs her hands through his hair again and leans down to kiss him goodnight. He’s already falling asleep by the time she turns off the light and closes his door.

  
Shortly after Sally leaves, another cool hand on his forehead eases Percy even further into slumber. In his dreams a man with black hair and green eyes just like his promises to keep him and Mr. Starfish safe from monsters, real and imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought this was an interesting way to explore the characters. I love the idea of Percy having a starfish for a teddy bear.  
> 


	2. Annabeth Chase

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. All familiar characters, world features, and plot devices belong to Rick Riordan. This story is not for profit, it is for fun.
> 
> Also posted on FF.net and LiveJournal [here](http://awanderingmuse.livejournal.com/10168.html)

Annabeth sulks in her room as her 'parents', Dad and step-mom, put the twins to bed. They'll make sure she's in bed too, after they're done with them, but she's not sleepy.

She hates the girls at pre-school; always talking about scary things like the Sack Man who carries off bad children in his brown cloth sack. She's worried that he's real. Her Step-mom says she's bad. What if he comes for her?

When her dad comes into the room she's chewing on her bottom lip with anxiety. "What's wrong Annabeth?" Fredrick asks.

She thinks for a while. Seeing that she wasn't going to answer right away her dad sits on her bed, waiting for a response.

"What if the Boogieman's real?" She finally asks, expecting her dad to laugh at her silliness.

Instead he asks, "Well, Annie, do you believe in the Boogieman?"

"No." She says too hastily, "'Course not!"

"But?" He asks raising a knowing eyebrow at her.

She sighs and stares at her blanket with a disgruntled scowl. Her dad puts a hand on her knee. "Hey." He says kindly, "What's bothering you Annie."

She looks at him and decides that if she wants to get past her fear of the Sack Man she's going to have to tell him. "It's just; these girls were talking about the Sack Man today in school." She whines anchoring herself to his hand. "And I'm afraid he's going to come for me because She say's I'm a bad kid." They both know that the She in question is her step-mom.

"Annabeth," he sighs tiredly. Annabeth's back stiffens preparing for another long lecture about how she should be nicer to her step-mom.

"She does!" she cries in four year old indignation, "She says it all the time, when she thinks I can't hear her!"

He sighs again, this time sadly, and she sees his decision to not pursue it on his face. "There can't be anything like the Sack Man out there." He says instead.

"How do you know?" She asks quickly, returning fear making her desperate for reassurance.

"Well," he says reasonably, "If some monster was carrying off kids don't you think we would hear about it on the news?"

"I guess," she agrees reluctantly, "but what if they don't know."

"Then you would hear about it from neighbors, or other adults. That's not something that could easily be kept a secret." Suddenly he leans down and whispers, "And I'm sure he'd have to carry the girls that scared you away first."

"Really?" She asks eyes wide, "Why?"

"Because" He whispers conspiratorially, "It's a horrible thing to scare my little princess."

"Daddy!" She cries blushing. "That's just your opinion."

He kisses her on the cheek and gets up. "And I'm always right."

She rolls her eyes and whispers, "Goodnight Daddy." before getting under the covers.

Frederick goes to turn off the lights. He turns and says "Sweet Dreams, Annie." before flicking the switch and closing the door. Annabeth snuggles under her covers to fall asleep dreaming about cloud cities.


	3. Thalia & Jason Grace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. All familiar characters, world features, and plot devices belong to Rick Riordan. This story is not for profit, it is for fun.
> 
> Also posted of FF.net and LiveJournal [here](http://awanderingmuse.livejournal.com/10486.html)

"Momma says be brave." Two year old Jason sternly reminds himself. He sits in a nest of blankets wishing he had the pillow fort Thalia says will keep him safe, but Momma says big, strong boys don't need pillow forts. Big, strong boys don't get scared. He should be big and strong so Daddy will be happy.

Jason doesn't feel big or strong at the moment. He feels small and scared as the yawning void of his open closet stares at him through the gray darkness of his room. The nightlight on the wall does nothing to reveal the unknown beasts lurking inside.

Something rattles and groans from that direction. Terrified, Jason leaps from bed with his pillow and bolts into the hall. It's dark in the hall too, and he's still scared. Where should he go now?

He creeps towards the stairs, towards the sound of the television. Maybe Momma is sleeping on the couch. He trips over a step and stumbles a little. Luckily he catches himself on the banister before he falls.

He hears Thalia's muffled voice from her room before her door opens and she peeks out. Light pours from the room making the hall less scary.

"Jason?" She asks catching sight of him, "What are you doing in the hall?"

He looks at her with wide eyes and she smiles softly, instantly understanding the trouble. She opens the door further and says, "Well, get in here, you little Airhead."

Jason quickly scrambles up the steps he had gone down and across the hall into his sister's room, a grin spreading across his face. Thalia would keep him safe.

She closes the door and limps to her desk, which he notices is piled with bandages. As he stares, she pulls up the leg of her guitar covered sweat pants to reveal a long shallow gash on her calf. It's bleeding sluggishly.

"Owie!" he says pointing at her leg, not sure what else to say. His cuts never looked that bad. It looked like something big clawed her. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's nothing," She says easily, assuring him nothing was seriously wrong, "nothing at all. I just tripped on a rake. Don't worry about it."

He crawls into her bed and watches as she bandages the cut, treating it with some golden ointment first. When she finishes she sits on the bed and pulls him close to her. "Now, tell Big Sis what scared you. Was it the closet again?"

He nods slowly. "It makes noises."

Thalia sits him on her lap so they are looking at each other. "Those are just the pipes, silly." She assures him tapping his nose and making him giggle.

"Oh, yeah." He says feeling better. They are silent for a moment comforting each other from the night's hardships. Jason knew from experience that inanimate objects were vicious.

His peace is ruined when he realizes that his Momma would want him to go back to his room now that he was feeling better, but the closet and whatever lived in it, was still there.

As if sensing his discomfort Thalia pulls him closer. "Want to build a pillow fort?"

"Momma says no." He whines.

"Non-sense," His sister assures him grabbing a pillow off the floor and placing it on her bed, "I need my little brother to help me fight off rake monsters, while I help him fight off closet monsters. And a pillow fort is the perfect defense."

Jason giggles again and grabs a pillow himself. Together they build a pillow fort to sleep behind for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two demigods for the price of one this time! I've loved the concept of Thalia and Jason being siblings since it was introduced in The Lost Hero and jumped at an opportunity to explore that relationship. I let Thalia's monsters be a little more real because she's older.


	4. Luke Castellan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. All familiar characters, world features, and plot devices belong to Rick Riordan. This story is not for profit, it is for fun.
> 
> Also posted on FF.net and LiveJournal [here](http://awanderingmuse.livejournal.com/10612.html)

Luke doesn’t particularly like the dark. He never has and never will. It’s creepy how the shadows sneak up on you. How they move in the darkness. He dislikes not being able to see what is near him. The dark makes his imagination go wild. There are worse things than thieves hiding in the shadows. There are kidnappers, murders, and insane mothers. He would know.

The last thought makes him shiver and he gets out of bed to turn on the light. Being five he can’t quite reach the switch hovering over his chest of drawers and it seems his mom removed the broom he kept expressly for this situation. He sighs glaring at the out of reach switch. He would get a chair to turn on the light but the noise would wake Mom up, and night and school are the only times he can get away from her. It’s not that he doesn’t love her. It’s just awkward because of her, condition.

He huffs again realizing that the light from his room would probably wake her up, even if he could reach the switch. He starts to go back to bed. It still dark though, and Luke really doesn’t like the dark. 

That’s when the idea hits him. He can just go downstairs. He could easily get to the broom. Turn on the light, maybe even the television. He was really starting to like this idea. Then he realizes the deciding factor, he could raid the fridge

Having made up his mind Luke slowly pushes his door open. He looks both ways down the hall before quietly slipping out and mostly closing the door. He is very careful to not let the door click shut before he quietly shuffles down the hall. At the stairs he carefully feels his way down, wary of obstructions and creaky steps.

When Luke gets to the ground he goes straight to the kitchen. Quietly, but with less care because his mom won’t be listening for noises downstairs, he opens the pantry door and retrieves his handy broom. Then he walks to the counter and reaches over it with the broom to flip on the kitchen light. After a quick trip into the living room to switch on that light as well, Luke is feeling a lot happier.

“Better.” He says quietly before turning to the fridge. Minutes later his arms are loaded down with soda, and several snacks including a Popsicle. He heads back into the living room and sets the food on the sofa table.

Then he pauses to listen for any hint that Mom might be awake. Hearing nothing he goes to the movie cabinet and pulls out the cartoon Batman episodes his mom bought him last week. He turns on the T.V. and pops the video into the VHS player. The show starts and Luke could shout for joy because he was getting away with all this. He didn’t, of course. That would definitely wake up his mom. 

Grinning like a maniac he snuggles under one of the throw blankets with his food. Several episodes of Batman and two more trips to the kitchen later Luke is sound asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was a really interesting experience to write Luke's chapter. I tried to show his son of Hermes side without having him be evil or a bad guy. He's only five here. At the same time I wanted to let some of those characteristics he has that let him become who he is shine through. Keeping all of that balanced was certainly difficult. I hope I was up to the task!


	5. Frank Zhang

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. All familiar characters, world features, and plot devices belong to Rick Riordan.This story is not for profits, it is for fun.
> 
> Also posted on FF.net and LiveJournal [here](http://awanderingmuse.livejournal.com/10802.html)

Frank is frustrated because he can’t sleep. He sits at the foot of his bed glaring at his teddy bear. It’s perching on his pillows at the other end of his bed. It looks innocent enough, but Frank isn’t so sure.

He knows he’s being ridiculous. It’s not a real bear, but he’d watched a movie not so long ago where all the toys were alive. And he knew, after today, that bears were not always nice to four year old boys. His grandmother had said so, after his mommy gave directions to that big grizzly bear. She had said bears could be mean, dangerous. Which left one question, what if the teddy bear turned real?

He gives his teddy bear a meaningful dark look for good measure before sighing fretfully. He was tired and really wanted to go to sleep. His teddy was still looking at him though, and he knew he couldn’t go to sleep. He sighs again, this one sounding like he was close to tears. Not that he was. Grandmother said Zhang men don’t cry.

A floor board outside his door groans and Frank jumps, whimpering with surprise. The door opens to reveal Emily Zhang. His mommy sees him pouting at the foot of his bed and goes to him.

“What’s wrong Frank?” She asks sitting by him and pulling him into a hug. She reaches for his teddy, bringing it closer. He cringes away. 

“Frank?” Emily says, not missing her son’s movement. “Don’t you want your teddy? He always makes you feel better.”

Frank shakes his head a little frantically, clinging to her shirt. 

His mommy puts the bear down and settles him on her lap. “This is about the grizzly bear, isn’t it?” She asks gently, looking in his eyes.

Frank nods slowly. “It could have eaten me.” He informs her quietly, “Grandmother says.”

Emily sighs and runs a soothing hand down his back. He frowns, because she didn’t say anything encouraging. 

Suddenly she’s grinning. “If you needed to, you could have taken that bear.” 

Frank gasps, eyes wide. “No Mommy!” He exclaims looking rather panicked.

Now she’s chuckling and Frank can’t help but to respond with a shy smile. He doesn’t get the joke, but he can feel the fear go away.

“One day you’ll see. “ She assures him tickling his sides. He squeals, and giggles, and thrashes around, trying to escape.

As he struggled Frank gasps, “See what Mommy?”

“Who you are.” She breathes quietly.

He just stares at her curiously. They’ve had this conversation a thousand times before, but he still doesn’t fully get it.

“Is this about Pericm-, Percl-?” he stops, frowning because he can’t say it.

“Oh, you mean your” she starts poking him in the belly, “Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Grandfather Periclymenus?” He is thrashing again, squealing. When she stops he collapses in an exhausted heap. Still giggling, Frank nods.

“He might have something to do with it.” She answers before kissing his cheek. “Now are you ready to sleep?”

“Yeah.” Frank agrees, suddenly very sleepy. His mommy pulls back the covers and climbs under them. He takes his teddy bear, feeling better and closes his eyes. Before he knows it Frank is fast asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest I don't really get how Frank thinks, I hoped to get into his head when I wrote this. Which is why I gave him a chapter even though I see his relationship with Emily being a lot like Sally and Percy's relationship. I like to think I accomplished that at least somewhat. Anyways thanks for reading!
> 
> This story will update on November 9th


	6. Grover Underwood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. All familiar characters, world features and plot devices belong to Rick Riordan. This story is not for profit, it is for fun.
> 
> Also posted on FF.net and LiveJournal [here](http://http://awanderingmuse.livejournal.com/11251.html)

A thick layer of clouds hangs low over the park land. They glow eerily with reflected light from the city while blocking out the natural light of the moon. The meadow the family of Satyrs sleeps in is filled with an ashen kind of light complementing the pitch darkness in the nearby forest.

Grover, the youngest Satyr in his family sleeps away from the rest of his family, afraid they will hear his worried bleating. Normally he sleeps next to his Uncle Ferdinand. The older Satyr was talented at knowing which sounds in the forest were threats and he never thought less of Grover for getting scared.

His Uncle Ferdinand had left yesterday to go on the search for Pan, though. No one knew when he will come back, or if he will come back at all. So Grover is on his own trying to be brave, but the forest is scary at night definitely with the noisy city surrounding it. As if supporting his thoughts the brush rattles and something in the distance growls

If he had anywhere to go Grover would have bolted. He got up to pace agitatedly, trying to decide what to do. Uncle Ferdinand used to say that wild carnivores feared artificial light. Grover thinks about sleeping under a lamppost but quickly changes his mind. He doesn't know where one is. It's probably far away, and he doesn't really like artificial light, it's too false.

Something bangs in the distance and Grover jumps. Even his sleeping family stirs as a monster howls in response.

Grover shudders and moves closer to the tree he was sleeping at the base of, accidentally bumping into it in the process. The tree shudders, leaves rain down on him and suddenly the young Satyr is on his back looking up at a very angry Dryad. He gulps nervously. "Oops."

"What do you think you're doing?" She whispers harshly, careful not to wake the sleeping Satyrs. Her elfin features tinted green with fury. "You should be asleep with your family, not wandering about bumping into sleeping trees!"

A loud nervous bleat escapes Grover and he covers his mouth in horror as his brother shifts in his sleep. Luckily for Grover he never wakes up. He turns back to the Dryad.

"Sorry." He mutters sheepishly.

The Dryad taps her foot impatiently and he looks up at her confused, shouldn't she be turning back into a tree now?

"Well?" she prompts and he realizes she wants an answer to her question.

"T-the forest is s-scary at n-night." He explains, feeling his hooves quake in fear.

The Dryads face softens, as she sees him for the scared little one he really is. "Why aren't you sleeping with your parents?" she asks much more gently.

He takes a deep breath and tries to look brave as he says, "I have to be on my own when I search for Pan."

She smiles knowingly and says, "Yes, but even Searchers need friends sometimes, brave little Satyr. What's your name?"

"Grover." He says, calmed by the Dryads gentle presence.

"Nice to meet you Grover," She says the corners of her eyes crinkling in a smile, "My names Maple."

Grover is silent for a moment before asking, "Would it be alright if I slept here tonight, Maple?"

She assents and after she turns back into a tree he curls up to sleep. He falls asleep, thinking that forest might not be that bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was fun to write because we don't know anything about the family/home life of satyrs. This is a possibility I can see as far as how they're lives would work. Hope you like it and thanks for reading!


	7. Rachel Elizabeth Dare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. All familiar characters, world features, and plot devices belong to Rick Riordan.This story is not for profits, it is for fun.
> 
> Also posted on FanFiction.net and LiveJournal [here](http://awanderingmuse.livejournal.com/11508.html)

Rachel sits on top of her blanket stiffly. She refuses to go to sleep. Not since that, thing, had literally scared Snickers, her hamster, to death. What if it comes back to eat her?

She has no interest in being a snack for the massive German shepherd like thing. The six year old shivers as she remembers the mangy looking dog, with rows of sharp teeth, and a snarl to match. It had been the size of a Taxi and as far as she is concerned she never wants to see one ever again. But what if it comes back?

She gets up and turns on her light, padding softly over to her little table with crayons and paper strewn across its surface. She sits on her pink chair and picks up a piece of paper. Drawing these things always helps her not be afraid of them. Carefully, she chooses a dark brown crayon, and begins to draw the dog. She starts with its snarling head, its mouth open wide, and then moves on to its large muscled body. It still doesn’t look mean enough though.

She’s reaching for the red crayon, with a frown creasing her eyebrows, when her parents open the door. She turns around quickly her eyes wide with surprise.

“Rachel, Honey.” Her mother says gently as she walks in, “You’re supposed to be in bed.”

“I don’t want to sleep.” Rachel responds shortly, reaching for her crayon once more. She doesn’t want to talk to them. They don’t believe her about the dog, and don’t care that Snickers is dead. All Daddy did was offer to buy another hamster.

Her daddy tries next, “What’s that you’re drawing? Is it a dog?”

Rachel looks at them both in a way that clearly says she is not amused. She finally picks up her crayon and gets ready to draw some more.

Her mommy catches on to Daddy’s plan and says “It’s a very nice dog.”

“No, it’s not.” Rachel grumbles, as she draws blood dripping from its mouth. It killed her hamster after all.

“Rachel!” Mr. Dare exclaims, distraught by his daughters doodle. “What are you doing?”

“It killed Snickers!” Rachel cries, “It was so big it scared him to death.”

“That’s enough.” Her daddy cut’s in. “You have to stop making up stories about monsters Rachel.”

“I’m not!” She protests, but her daddy isn’t hearing any of it. Rachel feels like crying and moves closer to her mommy who is watching silently.

With little encouragement Mrs. Dare gets her to go back to bed. Rachel pretends to fall asleep quickly as her mommy sings to her softly.

Thinking she is asleep her parents leave the room. “Maybe we should have her talk to Dr. Arkwright.” Her mommy suggests quietly, standing just outside her door. “I think Snickers death has upset her.”

“The lying started before this.” Her daddy replies distractedly.

“Then he can talk to her about that too.” Her mommy suggests again. “It will help her either way.”

Her daddy agrees and she hears her parents move further down the hall. The last thing Rachel thinks before drifting off to sleep is that no one will ever believe her about the monsters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would be fun to write out the aftermath of the whole "something happened to Rachel's hamster" scene. The hamster's name is a shout out to a family friend's pet guinea pig that they were forced to give away. I really, really couldn't think of a creative name for a hamster.
> 
> This story will update on December 7th.


	8. Bianca and Nico di Angelo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. All familiar characters, world features, and plot devices belong to Rick Riordan.This story is not for profits, it is for fun.
> 
> Also posted on ff.net and [LiveJournal](http://awanderingmuse.livejournal.com/11771.html)

Like most nights, five year old Nico is wide awake despite the late hour. He lies on his back on top of the blankets listening intently for the sound of airplanes. In the room next door he knows his sister Bianca is doing the same thing. They know the likelihood of an air raid is very low. The war is going on in Europe after all, not America. Still Nico can’t help but fear that the Germans or someone else will attack.

He rolls over on his side feeling a little bored and more upset that he can’t just fall asleep. Finally he becomes irritated with listening by himself and decides to see if Bianca really is awake.

He sneaks out of his room and to Bianca’s, where he taps on her door shyly. He’s just thinking that she is asleep when her door opens a crack. She peers out and seeing him opens the door just enough for him to scurry inside.

“Can’t sleep?” the seven year old asks, closing her door silently.

“I keep listening for airplanes.” Nico admits, like he has countless other nights.

“Me too.” She says, “I haven’t heard any though.”

“Me neither.” He agrees hastily, not wanting to make his big sister afraid. “I just got lonely.”

She chuckles and pulls him over to her bed, “We’ll listen together then.”

They lay back down and Nico curls up next to Bianca. They’re quite for a while, but eventually Nico becomes restless.

“Bianca,” Nico whispers, “are you awake?”

“Yeah.” Bianca replies softly.

“Can I ask you something?” He tries again.

“What?”

“Do you think the war will ever end?”

“Sometime,” His sister answers thoughtfully, “Papa say’s the war can’t go on forever.”

Nico thinks about the war ending before he realizes that he’s never seen a world without war. He decides to ask Bianca, “What’s it like?”

“What is what like?” she asks, clearly confused.

“No war?” Nico prompts his big sister.

“I don’t know.” She replies, “What do you think it’s like.”

Just then there was a light tapping on the door and their mother opens it. “Is there room for one more?” she asks her children.

“Of course, for you, Momma.” Bianca says and gently pushes Nico over to make room for Maria di Angelo. He readily makes more room. When their mother crawls into bed, Nico makes sure he can curl up on her other side.

For a while they are peaceful. Nico is trying hard to be falling asleep, but he starts thinking again about a world with no war. What would that be like?

“Momma?” He asks, breaking the silence again.

“Yes, my dear.” Maria says reaching out and running a cool hand down his cheek. Bianca stirs next to her, propping herself up on her elbow to listen better.

“What’s it like when there’s no war?” Nico asks curiously.

“Yes, Momma.” Bianca chimes in, “Please tell us.”

There is another silence and Nico starts to fidget with impatience. Maria runs her hand along his cheek again and gently says, “Shh. Be still, Nico, and I’ll tell you a story about before the war.”

He settles, instantly ready to listen and his mother starts telling them about her childhood. At first he and Bianca listen intently. But, the sound of their mother’s voice is soothing and the story paints such a calming picture that Nico soon drifts to sleep. He dreams of a world where he no longer needs to listen for airplanes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this may be my favorite chapter, but then Nico is my favorite character. I wanted to show where Nico may get some of his strength, and show why Bianca may have been tired of being big sis. Not that I forgive her for it at all. I also wanted to give the di Angelo family a happy(ish) moment. I hope I managed all that. Thanks for reading!


End file.
